Supervision Period

A supervision period is the defined timeframe — typically one calendar month — over which the BACB evaluates certain fieldwork requirements. When compliance rules reference monthly minimums, monthly caps, or per-period observation requirements, they are referring to what must happen within a single supervision period. Each period is assessed independently for these time-bound metrics.

The distinction between per-period and cumulative requirements is important. Requirements like the monthly hour minimum (20 hours), monthly hour cap (130 or 160 hours), observation minimums, and contact requirements (under 2022 standards) are all evaluated within each supervision period. In contrast, metrics like your supervision percentage and unrestricted hour ratio are calculated cumulatively across all periods combined.

A compliance failure in one supervision period does not automatically contaminate other periods. If you log only 15 hours in March, that month may not count toward your fieldwork, but it does not affect your standing in April. However, consistently failing to meet per-period requirements can signal larger problems with your fieldwork pace or supervision schedule that need to be addressed before they compound into cumulative compliance issues.